The First Day of the Rest of His Life
by kaela097
Summary: Chuck reflects on his life as he is about to marry the love of his life.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. They belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.**

The First Day of the Rest of His Life

He woke up in the very early hours. The sun was just beginning to peak over the horizon for the first time, and it was going to be a lovely day. There wasn't a cloud anywhere in sight. Not that she would have stood for it anyways.

He smiled at the sight of his beautiful bedmate still sound asleep in the lily-white satin sheets. She was going to be angry that he was still there, but he knew that today of all days he could get away with it. She wouldn't risk staying mad at him for very long, it would ruin the pictures.

He had come to her late last night after his bachelor party had wrapped up. She was surprised to see him of course. Chuck Bass leaving a party before midnight was unheard of and almost completely sober, but last night's party was unlike any other he had ever been to.

He was supposed to be celebrating his last night of freedom, his last night of bachelorhood, but instead he felt more like celebrating the fact that in less than twenty-four hours she would be his _legally_ forever. She'd been his spiritually, physically and emotionally for much longer, but this was the last threshold that they needed to cross, and he couldn't be more ecstatic.

She had tried to push him out the door before midnight struck. It was bad luck for the groom to see the bride on their wedding day. He talked his way into staying by saying that it wasn't technically the next day until he fell asleep and woke up again. She bought into his argument much quicker than he thought. He gave her his smug grin as they fell onto her bed after throwing each other's clothes haphazardly across the room and made love.

His last true night of freedom and he chose to end it by making love to the woman he knew he would spend the next fifty plus years with. "I should only be so lucky," he thought as he gently caressed the satin skin of her back.

He allowed himself to think back on how they had gotten to his wonderful place. It seemed improbable even to him. The first meeting was when they were five years old. She had chosen his best friend over him almost immediately. For the next eleven years, he teased her, he baited her, and he did his best to lure her away from his best friend without overstepping the unwritten boundaries that would jeopardize his friendship.

It finally worked one wonderful night in the back of his limo. She had given herself to him . . . him, and not Nate. She regretted it almost instantly, he could tell by the way she looked at him as she exited the limo after it stopped in front of her building, but he was not discouraged. He was Chuck Bass. He would get what he wanted in the end.

He pursued her. He threw away his friendship with Nathaniel for her. He almost destroyed her and himself in the process. He realized that when he finally had her that he would damage her, so he hurt her. She waited for him in Tuscany, but he never showed. He regretted it, his first true moment of regret, but he told himself that in the end she would thank him for it.

He tried to move on. Found woman after woman to keep his bed warm. He disappeared into the drugs and alcohol, but nothing worked. He couldn't get her out of his system. Perhaps if he had her one more time, he rationalized as he pursued her yet again.

Then the most horrible thing happened. His father died. The one person that had mattered to him more than she did was gone. It didn't know how to recover from the pain. She tried her best to be there for him, telling him that she loved him for the first time. He wanted to take her in his arms in that moment and never let go, but he couldn't. He was hurting, and if she stayed he was going to destroy her. He ran this time, ran as far away from himself as possible.

His entire body tensed at the thought of that wasted time. He took several deep breaths as he allowed himself to return to the much happier times that eventually followed, like his romantic declaration of his affection. She had been waiting forever to hear him say the three little words. Naturally he was terrified and ran away again. How could he say those words to her. Everyone that he had ever loved at left him. His mother died while giving birth to him. His father died without ever telling his only son how much he truly believed in and loved him. He was convinced that as soon as the three words were out that it would be the end for them, but he forced himself to wait outside her building with all several gifts he hoped would make amends for the hurt he had most recently caused her. He finally uttered the three most beautiful words. She smiled and threw herself into his arms and never let go. If it was truly the end, he thought in that moment, it was a hell of a way to go.

He chuckled at the thought. It had only been the beginning. Together they both accomplished their dreams. She graduated at the top of her class from NYU in fashion design. Yale had come begging during her sophomore year, but she turned them down flat.

She went to work with her mother for a short period of time after she finished school. After three months, she stormed out of the office after making one of her more impressive scenes and decided to launch her own line of fashion. With Chuck's initial investment, she threw together one of the most successful fall runway shows that Olympus Park had ever seen. Within eighteen month she had repaid Chuck every penny of his money while she continued to thrive and expand her fashion line. CB Fashions (taken from both her and Chuck's first initials) had become one of the premier names in the fashion industry, completely overshadowing her mother's line.

He of course had taken over Bass Industries the fall after their high school graduation and revolutionized the direction it was heading sending profits soaring and stock prices threw the roof. He was now considered one of the top three riches men in the world, not that he even cared. He felt he was the richest man in the world because she was by his side.

They still had their monstrous disagreements. They still fought tooth and nail from time to time. He was convinced that she liked it. It gave them a reason to make up which is what he liked.

Suddenly she began to stir slightly, pulling him from his thoughts. He held his breath. He wasn't ready for her to wake up yet. He wasn't ready to be chased out of her room and away from her for seven long hours he quickly calculated he had left as he saw the time flash on her bedside alarm clock. She mumbled something incoherent and then fell back into her peaceful slumber.

He smiled once more as he began stroking her long flowing brown hair that was fanned out on the pillow. He looked towards her closet to see a large white garment bag hanging from the open door. His breath caught. It was her wedding dress, a collaborative effort designed by both her and her mother, the first attempt at reconciliation the two had attempted since she stormed out her mother's office two years earlier.

He had begged her for weeks to allow him to see the dress, but of course she had refused. She was so bent on keeping up with those wedding day traditions. He remembers the night that he had "accidentally" seen a sketch of her dress when he came to her office to take her to dinner. She immediate tore up the drawing and put it through the shredder. She spent the next two weeks locked in her office with her mother working on a completely new concept for the dress. He didn't go looking for the designs again, not that he could because she now kept them under lock and key in her large walk in safe. Once the sewing on her dress had begun she forbad him to even step foot into her design loft.

God he loved this woman. How could he ever think that this emotion could be the most frightening in the world was now beyond him. Each day he found himself falling more in love with her than he was the day before. Each night that they spent in each other's arms, which was pretty much every night, was the next most wonderful moment of his life. His future no longer scared him.

She began stirring again and this time he knew that this time she was going to wake up.

"You're still here," she mumbled as she smiled lazily at him, "You're not supposed to be here."

"I'm sorry," he responded his voice filled with his deepest sympathy as he bent over to kiss her forehead, "I couldn't force myself to leave."

"You had better go before Dorota chases you out of here with a broom," she chuckled as she turned over so that was now lying on her back as she pulled the satin sheet to cover her chest. He groaned in disappointment when she covered her breasts, which raised the volume of her laugh. The sound of her laughter was like church bells to his ears. He loved her laugh.

"I love you, Blair Waldorf," he replied as he pressed his lips to hers passionately.

"I love you too, Charles Bass," she responded as she fought through the adoring haze that the kiss sent her into. "Now go!"

"I'll see you soon, my angel," he replied as he kissed her once more before he stood and gather his clothes that were strewn around room the previous evening.

Once he was dressed, he gave her one more passionate kiss before he forced himself to her bedroom door. He was about to leave when she called out to him, arising quickly as she pulled the bed sheet with to the door to stand before him.

"I'll be the one in the white wedding gown," she teased as she kissed him once more before she nudged him out the door.

Once it was closed behind him, he leaned against the door and thank god one more time for giving her to him. The first day of the rest of his life had begun.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. They belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.**

**Thank you for those of you who reviewed. This story was originally going to be a one shot, but I couldn't resist continuing on with Chuck's day.**

**Chapter 2**

"Dude, where have you been?" Chuck's best friend and best man, Nate asked him as he returned to the penthouse he would be sharing with Blair after this afternoon. Nate looked seriously freaked out and hung over. "I went to give the best man's toast, and you were gone. I thought you flaked out."

"Calm down, Nathaniel," Chuck urged him, "You know me better than that. I wouldn't flake out on Blair."

"Where did you go?" Nate pressed as he went to Chuck's bar to grab himself a drink in an effort to alleviate some of the effects of the alcohol he had consumed last night.

"I went to see Blair," Chuck responded as he took the drink out of Nate's hands and handed him a bottle of aspirin and a glass of water instead, "I'd prefer that you not be drunk at my wedding."

"Your last night of freedom and you went to the woman who's taking your freedom away," Nate exclaimed incredulously.

He had never understood the relationship between his best friend and his ex-girlfriend. How they made it work was beyond him. As far as he could tell, they were always arguing. Even last night before the bachelor party, at the groom's dinner they had been arguing. It was something trivial about the honeymoon and the argument didn't last long, but still it was another night out in which they had argued. He couldn't remember a night out with them that they didn't argue.

"Don't sound so surprised, Nathaniel," Chuck laughed.

"Dude, you had one last night to do whatever you want and get away with it," Nate pointed out.

"I did exactly what I wanted. . . .what I always want," Chuck rationalized, "And we both know there are a few things I couldn't get away with if I wanted to."

"She's got you so whipped," Nate chuckled as he downed his glass of water and quickly refilled it in an effort to flush the alcohol out of his system.

"Is there any one in the world that could do it other than our fair Waldorf?" Chuck inquired as he smirked devilishly.

"How long until we have to leave for the ceremony?" Nate asked as he decided to stop teasing his buddy.

"You're the best man," Chuck responded, "You're supposed to keep us on schedule."

"Fine, four hours," Nate responded as he looked at the timepiece that Chuck had given him for his best man's gift the previous evening. Sparing no expense, Chuck had spent thousands of dollars on the Cartier original.

"Can you do me a favor before the wedding?" Chuck asked as he face turned serious as he walked to his wall safe and began punching in the access code (Blair's birthday).

"I'm not going to go get you a hooker to get it out of your system," Nate joked.

"Who needs a prostitute?" Chuck quipped, "Blair is more than enough for me."

Nate cringed at the mental image that his friend's response brought.

"Sorry I even mentioned it," Nate mumbled as he waited for Chuck to ask the favor.

"Will you give this to Blair?" Chuck responded as he pulled out a box and handed it to Nate.

"Can I look?" Nate asked as he examined the box curiously.

"Sure," Chuck nodded.

Nate pried open the box and found a beautiful 26 carat sunflower diamond necklace designed by Harry Winston. "Chuck, this is beautiful. It matched her engagement ring." Normally a guy wouldn't notice such similarities, but Blair had been so eager to show off her ring nearly everyday since they became engaged last year that it was hard to miss.

"Honestly, that wasn't even my intent," Chuck admitted, "I purchased this necklace long before I ever bought her engagement ring."

"How long?" Nate inquired curiously.

"A long time," Chuck replied simply.

He didn't want to admit that he had the necklace in his possession since the day of her seventeenth birthday party, the same day that he had purchased the Erikson Beamon necklace that he had given her. He paid the salesperson five hundred dollars to tell him what other pieces she had admired when she put the necklace on hold. This had been her absolute favorite, but it had been out of the price range that she had known Nate could afford. Chuck didn't hesitate as he called his accountant to wire the money to his account to cover the purchase. His father had been furious when he saw the money that was spent on a silly necklace, but Chuck had blown it off. It was for Blair, he rationalized. Nothing was too expensive for the love of his life.

"I'll make sure that she gets it," Nate assured her.

"Thank you," Chuck nodded as he smiled at his friend.

"Are you nervous?" Nate asked curiously.

"I thought I would be, but I'm really not," Chuck replied sincerely, "I'm marrying my soul mate. What reason do I have to be nervous? The only thing that I have to be nervous about is my vows. I've been rehearsing them for three days, and I have yet to get through them without choking up."

"Do you want to rehearse with an audience?" Nate asked as he took a seat in the plush leather chair in the center of the living area.

"That's very generous, Nathaniel, but I want Blair to be the first person to hear them," Chuck replied as he tried to stifle a yawn. He had spent more time than he had realized watching her sleep that morning, and it was finally catching up with him.

"Why don't you go lay down for a little while," Nate advised him, "We've got four hours. I'll wake you with plenty to get ready."

"That sounds like a good idea," Chuck agreed as he made his way to his bedroom. He didn't fully trust Nate to not fall asleep in the other room, so he set his alarm clock next to his bed as well as his cell phone for back up. He was not going to risk missing the biggest day of his life because he overslept.

His tuxedo was hanging up for his review. Blair had made sure that she had everything set out for before they left for the rehearsal yesterday. Not that she didn't trust him to not be able to dress himself, but this day was just too important to her to leave anything to chance. The groom had been different than the picture she had drawn as a child, but the wedding itself was still the same, he had made sure of that just as he had made sure that her prom night had met with her fantasy.

As he closed his eyes, he smiled at the picture of Blair that had popped into his head. It was his favorite memory of her, the night they had made love for the first time after he had professed his love for her. The sparkle in her eyes and the beaming smile on her face as they fell into bed were the images that he fell to sleep with. A smile found it's way to his lips.

**Constructive criticism is always welcome.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. They belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.**

**Chapter 3**

"Chuck, look at you," Serena stated as she walked into his dressing room where he was fidgeting with his tie. He was a bit rusty in doing a bowtie on his own. Blair had been in charge of that particular accessory for so many years that he couldn't get it to lay right. "You clean up nice."

"Thanks, Sis," he responded sarcastically as he continued to fight with the tie as he studied it in the mirror.

"Did you need any help?" Serena offered as she saw him untie his latest failed attempt.

"I used to be able to do this blindfolded," Chuck grumbled as he turned to face Serena to accept her help, "Did Blair send you?"

"Of course," Serena laughed as she began working his tie into the perfect knot. "Nate came to see her, and I wanted to give them a few minutes."

"How is she?" Chuck asked as he looked into his step-sister's eyes sincerely.

"Driving the wedding planner crazy, actually," Serena laughed.

Chuck laughed at the thought of Blair laying into the wedding planner yet again. It had been a miracle that the woman hadn't quit ages ago. Being the perfectionist that she was, Blair had insisted on every detail of the wedding be exactly how she had imaging it. Chuck had interceded many times to ensure that the wedding planner kept to task by continually throwing money in the right direction every time the planner threatened to walk away.

"How does she look?" Chuck pressed.

"She's not in her dress yet, but her hair and makeup look amazing," Serena assured him.

"I would expect nothing less," Chuck responded as Serena released him. He turned towards the mirror to inspect her handiwork. It wasn't the perfection he had become used to at Blair's hand, but it would do. "Thanks for the help."

"You're welcome," Serena nodded as she gave him an eager smile.

"Will you tell Blair that I love her?" Chuck asked as she turned to leave.

"Not that she needs any reminding, but yes I will," Serena assured her. Chuck began pacing nervously as she was about to leave the room. "Are you okay, Chuck? You seem . . . nervous."

"I am," he admitted as he inhaled a breath.

"Chuck . . ." she began worriedly.

"Not about marrying Blair," he added quickly, "That is the one thing that I am absolutely certain about. It's our vows . . . I never should have agreed to her request to write our own. I've never been good at expressing my feelings, and having to do so in front of five hundred of the Upper East Side Elite . . . I don't want to freeze up and disappoint her."

"First off, it's closer to a thousand," she clarified, "And you won't disappoint her. You haven't since the day you first told her you love her. Forget about those stupid elitists. Do it for Blair."

Chuck nodded as he took a deep breath. He pulled out his speech from his breast pocket as Serena left and began going over it once more.

He could help but recall another time that he had to give a speech at a wedding. It was his father's wedding to Lily van der Woodsen. The speech he had prepared for that day had been horrible. He hadn't given it the proper thought that it had deserved, but then he recalled throwing it away and just going with what he felt in that moment, the moment he looked at Blair, everything syllable that escaped his lips was inspired by her.

Suddenly his nerves were calmed. He would get through his vows. He wouldn't stumble through, and he wouldn't get choked up. He would get through them because he would be able to look her in the eyes. Her loved had given him courage that he had never believed existed, but he suddenly knew that there was something that he needed to do before the ceremony.

Chuck walked out of the church and towards the cemetery. It had been awhile since he had been there, not since he had finally come to terms with his love for Blair in fact, but he still knew exactly where to go. There was already one bouquet of red roses next to one of the graves. Kneeling down before two conjoined head stones, he added his own bouquet of roses to the pile of the first one and a flask of Jack Daniels next to the other one. He had brought it to calm his nerves before the ceremony, but it seemed more appropriate to lay it on the grave.

"Hey, Mom, Dad," he began as he traced the names on the headstones with his fingers, "It's me. Been awhile, I know." He took a shaky breath as he fought the sudden wave of sadness that had threatened to overtake him.

"I'm getting married today," Chuck continued, "Can you believe it? Me? The guy too afraid to commit to a magazine subscription because it was too confining. . . Mom, I know you'd love her. Her name is Blair. She was the one that I told you about so many years ago. She keeps me on my toes, challenges me at every turn, and doesn't put up with my crap, just like the stories I've heard about you with Dad. She looks a little like you too, although don't tell her I told you that. She loves to be an original.

"Dad, I know you'd love her too, although you would have shown it in a much different way. . . " Chuck began losing a grip on his emotions again as the pain of his father's apparent disapproval during his life began to overtake him. A single tear rolled down his cheek.

"Charles?" a feminine voice called out behind him. It was Lily van der Woodsen.

"Lily," Chuck responded as he stood up in surprise. He'd been so lost in his thoughts that he hadn't heard her coming.

"I didn't mean to intrude," she responded in her motherly nature that he had come to embrace.

"It's okay," Chuck responded as he wiped away the rest of the unshed tears, "I had to see them."

"Of course," she nodded.

"Did you bring my mother the flowers?" he asked as he nodded towards the two bouquets.

"No, Blair did," Lily explained as she gently rubbed his shoulder in an attempt to comfort him, "She came out here about an hour ago before she began getting ready. She also went to Cyrus's grave."

"I should have guessed," Chuck realized. Chuck looked towards the grave of Blair's now deceased step-father off in the distance to find another bouquet of roses laying there. Cyrus had died only a month after Chuck had proposed. Blair had been devastated. The grief is was what had brought her and her mother back together. Chuck had been so intent to comfort Blair during the funeral that he hadn't realized how close Cyrus's grave was to his parents.

"Your father loved you," Lily assured him, "He wasn't the best at expressing it, but trust me, he did."

Chuck nodded at the words, but he couldn't quite allow himself to believe them, even coming from Lily. It felt like something that an adult was supposed to say out of obligation.

"Did you know my mother?" Chuck inquired. The question noticeably threw Lily for a loop.

"Not well," Lily responded slowly, "We didn't travel in the same circles. She was more concerned with social activism than social engagements."

Chuck frowned at Lily's response. The one thing that he had wanted more than Blair was to feel close to his mother. He never got a chance to know her, and his father never talked about her.

"I didn't know her, Charles," Lily continued, "But your father spoke very highly of her. It was obvious that he missed her."

"I always felt like I was a painful reminder of the loss that he felt. I was the reason she died and for that reason he couldn't stand the sight of me," Chuck admitted.

"That's not true!" Lily gasped, "Losing your mother hurt Bart immensely, but it was not your fault. The one thing that your mother wanted most in this world was a child of her own. She was so happy when she found out she was pregnant with you."

"How do you know all of this?" Chuck inquired, "You just said that he didn't know her well."

"Your father," she responded simply, "His eyes lit up when he talked about those months before she died. They were both so excited to become parents."

"Thank you," Chuck responded as he smiled warmly at Lily, "I needed to hear that."

"I'm sorry I never told you sooner," Lily responded as she hugged him. Chuck tensed in her arms. He was always a little uncomfortable when she embraced him, but he didn't pull away until she did. "I'm so proud of you, Charles. I hope you know that. You have grown into such a wonderful and generous man, one that would make your father so much prouder."

"That's all Blair," Chuck confessed.

"That's a little you, too," Lily assured him as she reached out to straighten his tie, "Serena must have done this."

Chuck chuckled as he nodded his head.

"I love that girl, but she couldn't tie a straight bowtie to save her life," Lily laughed.

"Are you ready to play mother of the groom?" Chuck teased.

"Absolutely," Lily laughed as she looked at her watch, "And you had better come inside. You only have ten more minutes of freedom."

"I'll be right there," Chuck assured her as he gestured towards his parents' graves, "I need a few more minutes with them."

"Sure," Lily nodded, "I'll leave you alone. I'll be waiting just outside the chapel for you. You have to walk me down the aisle, remember."

"It will be my honor," Chuck smiled as she walked away.

He turned once more towards his parents, kneeling down to trace their headstones once again. "I'm going to be a good husband," Chuck assured them, "And I am going to love Blair with everything that I have in me. She is my life. I'll make you proud."


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. They belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.**

**First off, thank you for the wonderful reviews. It was more than I'd ever expected. Please enjoy. I hope the build up to this moment was worth it. . .**

**Chapter 4**

"Are you ready for your freedom to end?" Nate asked as Chuck returned to the church. It was nearly time to get the show started. Returning from his conversation with Blair, Nate panicked when he found the dressing room that he had left Chuck in empty. Nate began looking for Chuck frantically but found Lily instead. After she told him where Chuck was and that it was best to leave him alone, Nate waited at the door patiently for his best friend to return.

"Absolutely," Chuck responded with an eager smile as Nate patting him on the back. There was no hint of the sadness in his eyes that Nate expected. It was if the weight of the world had finally been lifted off his shoulders.

Eric and the rest of the groomsman were waiting just inside the church for the pair to join them.

Eric pulled Chuck aside quickly as the pre-recorded music Blair had selected began to play.

"Since Blair doesn't have any brothers, I feel that this is my duty," Eric stated as he willed Chuck to indulge him.

Chuck looked at him expectantly.

"If you ever hurt Blair in any way, you will have to answer to me," Eric responded as he tried to keep a straight face. The twinkle in his eye was a dead giveaway as to how hard he was fighting the urge to burst out laughing.

Chuck also had to bite his lip.

"Lord help the man that Serena ends up marrying," Nate jumped in with a roll of his eyes to save Chuck. The three men all broke out in laughter.

"Ready?" Chuck asked as Lily approached. Lily beamed as she gave Nate's tie one last bit of straightening before she came to Chuck's side. He quickly offered her his arms as Eleanor joined the group to link up with Nate.

Chuck couldn't help but wonder if Eleanor was wishing that it was Nate that was marrying her daughter today instead of him, but he didn't allow himself an answer. Blair had made it very clear to her mother who her choice was. Eleanor nodded warmly towards Chuck as she began her walk down the aisle with Nate. Chuck and Lily waited an appropriate amount of time before they started their walk. Taking a deep breath, Chuck took his first step forward.

All eyes were on Chuck as he and Lily made their way down the aisle. He could hear whispers of surprise from the guests in attendance that the event looked as if it was going to happen. He was after all Chuck Bass, and although it had been years since he behaved in any way that was uncivilized, the reputation still preceded him to many. He was able to block out the eyes as he took in the decorations. It was the first time that he had seen the church decorated for the service and it looked amazing, exactly how Blair had described it to him.

Lily smiled at him as they continued their walk. They approached the front and Chuck leaned in and kissed Lily's cheek before she could sit down. She was caught off guard, but beamed up at him in pride as she took her seat. Chuck walked over to Eleanor and kissed her cheek as well before he approached the altar.

As he approached the front where Nate and the minister were waiting, Nate reached out to shake his hand. Chuck then turned to the minister and did the same. The minister began cracking jokes in an effort to keep the pair loose as they waited for the bridesmaids and groomsmen to start the processional. It had been the minister's experience that even the coolest cucumber would loose their cool in the moments before the ceremony began, but he was in awe of the young man's composure. Chuck was laughing effortlessly at the jokes, instead of the forced chuckle that most grooms gave. He didn't appear nervous in the slightest. If ever there was a man that was ready to be married, it was this one.

Finally the spring quartet began their music as the doors opened.

One by one the bridesmaids and groomsmen began to make their way down the aisle. The groomsmen consisted of Eric and other men to which had developed a rapport with Chuck while running the Bass empire. The bridesmaids were friends that Blair had made while attending college at NYU and later brought in to work with her as she built her clothing label.

"Chuck, I've been holding off on telling you something until this moment," Nate stated as Serena began making her way down the aisle as the doors behind her closed. Chuck wasn't able to concentrate too much on Serena as she walked down the aisle. He was so focused on the fact that his heart was behind the door preparing for her entrance on her father's arm.

Chuck looked at Nate as he waited for him to continue.

"The best man won," Nate responded sincerely.

"What are you talking about, Nathaniel?" Chuck asked as he looked at his friend in confusion.

"Even when she was with me, she always belonged with you," Nate responded, "You make her happy. You won."

"It was never about competing with you," Chuck felt the need to clarify, "I know I hurt you, but I had to follow my heart. I never did apologize for that. You were very gracious in letting her go. Thank you for that."

Nate nodded as he patted Chuck's back. "Last chance to back out," Nate stated as the wedding processional music began to play.

"Not on your life," Chuck responded as the doors open and Blair took her first step forward into his view on her father's arm. The sight of her in her princess cut bridal gown literally took his breath away. Even Cinderella would have been jealous of the dress Blair had created. He silently thanked himself for discovering the first sketches so that she could design this gown. Her beautiful auburn locks were flowing in loose curls that framed her face. She was stunningly beautiful. Her smile lit up the entire church. Their eyes locked and he held her gaze as she made her way towards him. She wasn't even walking; she was floating.

The walk seemed to take forever. He felt like running forward and grabbing her in his arms and hauling her forward so that they could get the show on with the road. She bit her lip to keep from laughing as if she could read his mind.

Finally she made her way to the end of the line. Her father kissed her before he reached out to shake Chuck's hand and then hand his daughter over to him. Chuck took a deep breath as their hands connected. He fought his emotions as he waited for her to gather her dress and take the few steps she needed to take her spot before the minister. He had planned to use that moment to tell her how beautiful she looked, but the words wouldn't come.

The minister began the ceremony but Chuck wasn't hearing the words. He was so captivated by her beauty that everything else around him faded away. He was thankful that she had won the coin toss to begin the vows because he wouldn't have known when to begin.

"Since I was a child, I have dreamt about this moment," Blair began. "I saw the church, the flowers, the bridesmaid dresses, and I even saw the maid of honor. The one thing I couldn't imagine was who the groom would be. Would he have sandy blonde hair or chocolate brown? That was all a blur until the day I fell in love with you.

She paused as she began to choke up a little. Chuck urged her on with a reassuring smile.

"You snuck up on me . . . like you always seemed to do. You were there for me when I thought that all of my dreams were shattering. You let me fall apart, and then helped me pick up the pieces and move forward. I don't remember the exact moment that I fell in love with you, but when I did I fell hard.

"I tried to fight it, fight the feelings you stirred deep within me. I tried to murder the butterflies, but I couldn't (Chuck laughed at the reference). My rational side kept telling me to run as far as I could, but my heart wouldn't let me. My heart kept telling me to stay and fight, even when I didn't think there was anything left to fight for.

"We've been through our ups and downs. We've laughed and cried together. I cannot image taking this next journey in my life with anyone but you. You are my best friend . . . the only one that I want to go to during the good and the bad. You are the one that I want to have children and grow old with.

"I know we'll continue to have our ups and downs, we're too much alike to not. There will be days that I'll hate you as much as I love you, but I want you to always remember this moment . . .the moment that I pledged myself to you, pledged myself to spend the rest of my life with you.

"I love you Chuck Bass, and I pledge myself to you and only you for as long as we both shall live," Blair finished with a shaky last breath. Chuck kissed her hands as he allowed her words to sink in. He knew that the words that he had written were not enough. He had to speak from his heart. The cards in his breast pocket were forgotten as he reached up to catch a fallen tear that had made its way down her cheek.

Chuck took a death breath as he gathered his thoughts.

"I woke up this morning with you lying beside and it hit me. This is how it is going to be for the rest of my life, and I couldn't be more humbled or in awe of the fact that you chose me. I've spent this morning reflecting on how we got to this place today, and I keep coming back to one simple conclusion. Somewhere along the way I died and went to heaven. That is the only explanation I have for the angel that has taken over my life.

"My life has been one long exploration. I wasn't looking for buried treasure or the meaning of life. I was looking for my reason to exist. I was looking for you without comprehending what it was that meant. I didn't realize it at the time, but I found my reason to exist when I was five years old. My life has been a little fuzzy, a little hazy. . . some chemically induced (Blair chuckled at the moment of humor as he gave her a sly little smile), but every moment I've spent with you is crystal clear.

"I lost my way for awhile. The days after my father died are lost. I don't know where I went or what I did, but I remember you, and those beautiful three words you spoke to me. I didn't want to hear them, but I did. You couldn't have realized it at the time, but you woke me up. You brought me back to life. I don't even want to think about what might have happened if you hadn't been there, and thankfully we'll never know.

He paused as he tried to gather his thoughts once again. He felt as if he was rambling and he had some key points that he needed her to hear.

"You make me want to be a better person. You make me want to be the person worthy of your heart. You say that we are equals, but really you are miles ahead of me. You are what I strive to become. Someday if I'm lucky I'll get there.

"Admitting my love for you wasn't easy. You know better than anyone how hard I fought it, fought us. Now I don't know why I fought for so long. Three words, eight letters, that's all it took and you were mine. It was so simple, but I had to make it so complicated. Now the words come so effortlessly. I am a man that is completely in love with you. Everything that I am is in love with you. I promise you that I will love you more today than I did yesterday, but not more than I will tomorrow.

"Today I begin the first day of the rest of my life as a husband to you. I love you, Blair. I always have, and I always will. Thank you so much for agreeing to be my wife. I couldn't ask for more in this world that to have you with me. I pledge myself to you on this day, to you and only you for the rest of our life," Chuck finished in a rush.

Before he could react, Blair was leaning forward, taking his head in her hands and kissing him fully on the lips. He found himself lost in the kiss. He didn't know how long the kiss lasted, but he heard the minister repeatedly clear his throat in an effort to get their attention.

Blair blushed as she pulled away. Chuck laughed softly as she looked at the minister with a guilty expression on her face. They both chuckled as the minister asked, "May I continue?"

Chuck nodded as he looked to Blair who was still blushing furiously. She had never looked more beautiful than she did in that moment.

"Rings please," the minister requested. Serena and Nate stepped forward and handed the rings to the minister before the returned to their spots. The minister blessed the rings before handing the first one to Chuck.

"I, Charles Bartholomew Bass, pledge to you, Blair Cordelia Waldorf, with this ring, my life, my love, and my faith in us. I will be faithful to you, and stand by you through all of life's obstacles for the rest of our lives," Chuck stated as he slipped the solid platinum band on her finger. The ring was inscribed with the words '_Our_ _Three Words, Eight Letters . . .Always'_, and he'd have to be sure to mention that to her after the ceremony.

Blair wiped a tear that fell as she accepted the other ring from the minister.

"I, Blair Cordelia Waldorf, pledge to you, Charles Bartholomew Bass, with this ring, my life, my love, and my faith in us. I will be faithful to you, and stand by you through all of life's obstacles for the rest of our lives," Blair repeated as she slid a matching platinum band on his finger.

The pair joined hands as the minister took over.

"By the joining of hands and the giving and receiving of rings, Blair Cordelia Waldorf and Charles Bartholomew Bass, you have pledged yourself to each other before these witnesses and before God. It is my pleasure to pronounce you husband and wife. Charles, you may kiss your bride . . . again," the minister stated as the two beamed from ear to ear.

Chuck pulled her towards him and into his arms as he kissed her with everything he had. The church began clapping as the pair continued to kiss. He never wanted this moment to end. She was his. His life could truly begin.

**I hope that you have enjoyed this journey as much as I have. I'm contemplating a few spinoffs of this story, but for now I have to add . . . .**

**The End.**


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